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1. How was my name selected for jury duty?

The jury wheel, which is the list of potential jurors, comes from two lists:

• All registered voters in Denton County
• All persons in Denton County with either a Texas driver’s license or a Department of Public Safety Identification card

Every two years, the Voter list and DPS lists are merged by matching the names as best as possible to minimize duplications. The merged list is given to the Denton County District Clerk. The District Clerk “reconstitutes” the jury wheel by providing this new list of names to our software vendor who replaces the old list with the new one. Jurors are then randomly selected and summoned from that new jury wheel for the next two years.

2. Are jurors paid for their service?

Jurors are paid for their service. Each juror receives $6 for the first day of appearance and $40 for the second and any subsequent days of appearance. Jurors may donate their pay to a number of organizations that have been approved by the Denton County Commissioners Court. Total donations to those organizations averages about $75,000 annually.

Payment is processed at the end of jury service, and a check is mailed to each juror within two to three weeks of their service.

3. What are the qualifications for jury duty?

The laws and rules regarding statutory qualifications are found in Section 62.102 of the Government Code. You are qualified to serve as a petit juror in Denton County if you are:

• Are at least 18 years of age
• Are a resident of Denton County
• Are a citizen of the United States
• Are qualified under the Constitution and laws to serve in the county or city in which you are to serve as a juror (Note: you DO NOT have to be registered to vote to be qualified to serve)
• Are of sound mind and good moral character (Documentation must be submitted to prove otherwise)
• Are able to read and write
• Have not served as a juror for six days during the preceding three months in the county court or during the preceding six months in the district court
• Have not been convicted of theft or any felony
• Are not currently under indictment or other legal accusation of a misdemeanor theft, felony theft, or any other felony charge

4. What should I do if I’m not qualified to serve?

If you believe you are disqualified, you can claim it using the Jury Service E-Response, or mail your summons with the exemption marked to Jury Services, P.O. Box 2146, Denton, TX 76202. You may also fax it to 940-349-2231. All disqualifications are subject to review.

If you are not certain about whether you are disqualified, you may contact the jury office at 940-349-2230 during the hours listed on your jury summons.

5. What are the exemptions from jury duty?

You are not required to claim an exemption even though one might apply to you. If you would like to serve even though you are eligible for an exemption, then we certainly appreciate your choice to do so. The Statutes regarding jury duty exemptions are found in Section 62.106 of the Government Code. You may claim an exemption from jury duty if you are:

• You are 70 years of age or older.
• You have legal custody of a child under the age of 12 and serving on jury duty would necessitate leaving this child(ren) without adequate supervision. This exemption does not apply if you work outside the home during normal business hours. You may be excused if you are working part-time or unusual hours.
• You are a high school or college student. This exemption applies to those who are currently in actual attendance. You must be attending during hours that would conflict with your jury service. Jury service is usually from 8 am to 5 pm.
• You are an officer or employee of the Senate, the House of Representatives or any department, commission, board, office, or agency of the legislative branch of government. This exemption does not apply to a person who is just a member of a board: (A) To be an officer means president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, etc.; (B) To be an employee means to be on the payroll of the Senate, House, committee, board, or any agency in the legislative branch.
• You have served as a petit juror in Denton County during the three-year period preceding the date you are to appear for jury service. This exemption is for those who were one of six or twelve jurors chosen for a trial and were sworn in by the judge. This does not apply to those who served on a Municipal Court or Federal Court jury.
• You are a primary caretaker of an invalid who is unable to care for him/herself. To qualify for this exemption, you must be the only caretaker and you must live at the same address as that person. Invalids in nursing or residential homes have caretakers. If you work as a health care provider, you are not eligible for this exemption.
• Medical conditions - (Physical or mental impairment) If you have a medical condition that would make it impossible or very difficult to serve as a juror, you may request an exemption by completing the Affidavit for Exemption (PDF) and returning it to Jury Services. Your request will be submitted to a judge and you will be notified if your request is granted or denied.
• Active Duty Military - You are a member of the United States military forces serving on active duty and deployed to a location away from your home station and out of your county of residence.

6. How do I claim an exemption?

If you qualify for an exemption, you can claim it using the Jury Service E-Response, or mail your summons with the exemption marked to Jury Services, P.O. Box 2146, Denton, TX 76205. You may also fax it to 940-349-2231. All requests to be exempt are subject to review.

If you are not certain about whether you are exempt, you may contact the jury office at 940-349-2230 during the hours listed on your jury summons.

7. I am not available to serve on my report date. Can I change jury duty date?

Yes! Denton County allows every juror one postponement for any reason in order for everyone to have the opportunity to pick a date better suited for their schedule. Once logged in to E-Response you must go through the Disqualification/Exemption page, then complete your juror questionnaire and then once you are back on the DASHBOARD, you will be able to use the Request Schedule Change tab to select from several dates available and reschedule yourself. Or you may call Jury Services and one of the jury staff will assist you with your request. If you sign up for e-notifications, an email and text will be sent letting you know your request is accepted.

Before choosing to reschedule your service please understand that you are limited to just one change so please be sure that you choose your new appearance date carefully.

Postponement requests can also be made by calling Jury Services at 940-349-2230.

8. What do I do if I have a medical issue that prevents me from being able to serve?

Denton County will try to accommodate anyone with a medical problem or a disability to help them complete their jury service.

However, any juror with a physical or mental impairment who wishes to be excused may request so by submitting the Affidavit for Exemption (PDF) and returning them to Jury Services by uploading to our website or by faxing them to 940-349-2231. Your request will be submitted to a judge and you will be notified if your request is granted or denied.

9. Are jurors paid for their service? Does my employer have to pay me?

Jurors are paid for their service. Each juror receives $6 for the first day of appearance and $40 for the second and any subsequent days of appearance. Jurors may donate their pay to a number of organizations that have been approved by the Denton County Commissioners Court. Total donations to those organizations averages 75,000 annually.

Payment is processed at the end of jury service, and a check is mailed to each juror within two to three weeks of their service.

The law does not require that your employer pay you while you are on jury duty, though many choose to do so. The law does require that your employer allow you time off from work to fulfill your jury service obligations, and you cannot be discharged from your job for being on jury duty. If your employer does not comply with the law, civil and criminal sanctions may apply.

10. What if I am self-employed?

Unfortunately, there are no business/self-employment exemptions administered by the state legislature at this time.

11. What if I don’t have transportation?

There are no transportation exemptions. If you have not been rescheduled before, then you may request a postponement in order to make better arrangements to appear. You may also contact the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) at 940-243-0077. You may also visit the DCTA website which includes information regarding the new A-train.

12. My employer needs proof of my service. How do I get it?

We will provide you with proof of your appearance in court when you are discharged from jury service. If you failed to get one or lost the one you got from the court, you can log back in to Jury Service E-Response and there will be a Service Certificate tab where you can print a new work certificate.

13. Must my employer pay me while I’m on jury service?

Unfortunately, your employer is not currently required by Texas state law to pay you while you are serving jury duty. However, the law states that an employer cannot terminate your employment for attending jury service.